This might be the greatest video on YouTube.
Hey kids! It’s time to grab a bowl of Quisp and watch some cartoon opening segments from the ’70s!
From Fat Albert to Jonny Quest to the “hanker for a hunk of cheese” guy, these really takes me back to Saturday mornings.
Watch Dana Carvey’s 1986 ‘SNL’ Audition With ‘Choppin’ Broccoli’
Check out Dana Carvey‘s SNL audition 1986 when he was 30 years old. Stay for the Dennis Miller, Robin Williams and John Travolta impressions, and see if you can catch the beginnings of Garth Algar from Wayne’s World.
No Illusions Here! This Is Real Rock From Toronto’s FAKE MAGIC And Their New Album “N.A.”
Despite their band name of Fake Magic, there’s nothing but authentic sonic alchemy pouring out of Canadian rockers Greg Markham and Bryan Paccagnella’s newly released sophomore album, N.A.
While lead single “Father” is about the day-to-day lives of the Heaven’s Gate cult, the concept around the new LP orbits a road trip across North America — as heard in follow-up track, “Always Nice.”
“It’s an exploration of the unique places and the ‘animals’ of the continent,” Paccagnella offers. “The album art is based on an original photo Greg took while on tour with Whosarmy; the album is meant to evoke an upside-down slide in a slideshow.”
“The initial recording was done in my apartment downtown Toronto at Bathurst and Bloor,” Markham shares. “We incorporated elements of the apartment and street into the songs, like the sounds of fans, car alarms, and sirens.
“Bryan also uses a DIY piezoelectric kazoo on a couple of tracks to ‘fake’ guitar parts.”
Speaking of fake, though, their name… Fake Magic?
“You have to embrace the gifts the universe can dump on you when you just ‘go for it,’” they say of the moniker’s inspiration. “It also comically implies that, if real magic exists… We’re not it.”
They say that, but their long-held connection as friends and resulting collaboration suggests otherwise. Pals since Grade 2, the pair have attended the same grade school, high school, and college together.
“We bonded early,” Markham recalls. “We shared an obsession with Weird Al’s album, Bad Hair Day, and all the music videos from that release.”
“We grew up in the suburbs of Richmond Hill playing a lot of garage and basement rock,” Paccagnella adds. “In 2005, we went to Humber College — Greg for the jazz program, and me for comedy writing and performance.”
Greg Markham went on to play with Whosarmy, winners of CBC’s Cover Me Canada, The Mohrs (now Jackie), and Keegan Powell. Bryan Paccagnella spent years as a writer and comedian, performing sketch comedy at The Rivoli, Comedy Bar, and more; he was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award with his troupe Plum Thunder and their parody of the Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Girls.”
They started Fake Magic in 2018, and try not to label what they do. “Call it dork rock, indie rock, alt rock…” they say. “Call it Steven. Call it a cab. Take it down to Weird Street.
“It’s a good time.”
Mixed by Simon Larochette, and mastered by Grey Market, N.A. follows 2019’s debut EP, Hi-Fi.
No Clarification Needed: Downtempo Duo Anaté’s Debut Single “Confusion” is Stunning
Emerging downtempo duo Anaté have released their debut single “Confusion” on iTunes and all streaming platforms.
Produced by Delman, mixed by Simone Coen and mastered by Giovanni “Meniak” Nebbia, the track shows a slow, dark mood featuring Ana’s emotive and soulful voice, rich tones of the piano, and a dim trip-hop ambience.
“My debut single ‘Confusion’ talks about duality,” Ana says. “It’s about the conflict between what we want and what we are ‘allowed to want,’ between who we are and expected to be… Between emotion and reason.
“We all experience moments of inner conflict like that,” she continues. “‘Confusion’ explores these contrasting concepts and invites us to embrace both.”
The song’s video was directed by the Argentinian Fausto Torelli Tulissi, and was filmed in Berlin. It explores duality in images, pictured as a constant back and forth between the heavy reality and a “dream world” — our inner world. It follows Ana’s journey to the point where she is finally facing and embracing herself.
“Confusion” is the first single off Anaté’s upcoming debut album, Confessions. The album will feature 10 tracks, and is described by Ana as a “journey that leads us to being who we are when no one is watching…
“Ten confessions shared as songs.”
Ana is a young and talented singer and songwriter. She was trained from a young age in classical piano and was part of several musical projects as lead singer/songwriter and keyboardist. Ana kept writing music independently and performing in Paris until meeting producer Delman and starting the Anaté project together.
Delman is a seasoned producer and guitar player. He performed as guitar player with several local bands from early 2000’s to 2015, when he decided to focus on producing local artists and writing own music.
Their collaboration allowed to mix influences from artists of the past and present, with arrangements inspired by iconic trip-hop bands such as Hooverphonic, Massive Attack and Morcheeba, while vocal melodies and harmonies remind of artists such as Sade, Dido and Amy Lee.
Author and Archivist Mike Carr Releases Second Instalment of Ongoing Series — Rock My World Canada: Canadian Blues Reference & Collectors Guide
Author, archivist, and self-starting music historian Mike Carr continues his journey to document the impassioned works of Canadian musicians with this, the second release in his ongoing series — Rock My World Canada: Canadian Blues Reference & Collectors Guide — available now here.
Featuring over 700+ artists and nearly 2,800 album covers, the book promises coverage of the likes of Kevin Mark, Jack DeKeyzer, Monkeyjunk, Ann Vriend, and more. Newly minted additions to the format include lists of blues festivals, societies, and record labels; there’s also an autograph page.
“It’s all about the music,” Carr considers. “I started this project as my personal commitment to help support Canadian musicians. No matter what genre you favour, we have a vast amount of talent in this country. The goal is for readers to discover something new.
“Just like a song can trigger certain memories, I found album covers could do the same,” he continues, marvelling. “I remember when I was younger, I could hardly contain my excitement when, after purchasing a new album, I could admire the artwork, review the liner notes, and check out the band credits.
“In this digital age, though, it appears album covers have become a lost art.”
The Rock My World Canada mixed media project seeks to remedy that, and then some. “It’s like going to a record store, without going to a record store!”
Carr’s first foray into the project was in 2013 and, in 2018, he published the series’ print debut: Canadian Alternative & Indie Reference & Collectors Guide. That first tome featured over 900 musical acts and upwards of 3,000 album covers — spanning the gamut from the genres most famous to nearly-never heard of Canadian artists.
“I’m sure there are hundreds of acts that I missed, so please no hate mail,” he quips. “The series is designed as a compilation of the history of each musician or band as shown by the studio album releases and a short biography. The qualifier for each artist to be listed in the book is they had to have recorded at least one studio album or EP — so no splits, live, or compilations, unless deemed historically significant.”
The releases are designed to be tangible, hard-copied companion pieces to his website — the digital archive that is RockMyWorldCanada(dot)ca. “It’s so these issues don’t become outdated,” Carr explains.
Alan Cross says of the project: “If you’re at all into collecting / cataloguing / researching Canadian music, this pictorial discography — and the ‘pictorial’ part of that description is very important in the digital era — will be immensely valuable. It’s fun to flip through, too, because it offers a new perspective on a whole universe of our music.”
“Finally someone has stepped up and dedicated hours, days, months, and years to a project that documents what Canada has contributed to the world’s wealth of Blues recordings,” Downchild Blues Band and Mighty Duck Blues Band member Gary Kendall adds. “(This book) bears witness to a growing art form.”
“I do not profess to be a writer, so let’s be clear about that,” Carr laughs. “But like most Canadians, I am a music lover and, although I’ve never been a musician, I always felt I missed out on something in my life by not being an active participant in the music community.
“This is my contribution.”
At 10,000+ Streams, Saskatoon’s DJ AURO is Out to “Move That Body” with New Latin Groove
At 10,000+ streams and counting, Canadian artist, producer and DJ Auro is delivering a delectable groove guaranteed to get you out of your seat with “Move That Body.”
It’s sultry. It’s vibe-y. And it’s anything but a cliché, Auro and his collaborators Lucky Widmore and Jonas Music assure.
“We didn’t want this to be a typical Latin tune talking about señoritas and far-off paradises,” Auro shares. “We wanted it to have an urban vibe and a universal message about love, and chance meetings with beautiful strangers.”
The track is a fitting testament to teamwork and technology. “In this brave new world, ‘Move That Body’ confirms you don’t need to all be in the same room to collaborate and release meaningful art,” Auro shares from his home base in Saskatchewan.
Auro — aka Jordon Keith Schimelfenig — was raised in the rural prairies of Canada, and holds experience in many musical forms and formats, including guitar, drums, and synthesizers. “Country music is what was playing on the radio where I grew up,” he recalls. “My parents were 80s ‘metal heads,’ and my grandfather was part of a bluegrass band.
“My passion, however, was in electronic music.
“I had the idea for a track with a Latin vibe after visiting Cabos, Mexico, and Lucky and Jonas decided that, lyrically, they wanted to have an urban vibe with a universal message about love.
“And so, ‘Move That Body’ was born.”
“Move That Body” lands alongside DJ Auro’s alternate releases this year, including “Whistle,” “Falling,” “Dance,” and “Playing With Fire” — the latter of which is also with Lucky Widmore.
Winnipeg-based Folk Musician JAMES CULLETON Uses AR Technology to Bring Children’s Concept Album to Life
Winnipeg-based folk musician James Culleton has used AR technology to bring his new children’s concept album, Unusual Friendships, to life.
Unusual Friendships is based on the children’s story Unusual Friendships: A Little Black Cat and a Little White Rat, written by the award-winning Métis author Beatrice Mosionier — who is also Culleton’s aunt; the 71-year-old novelist wrote the rhyme-heavy book as symbolism for difficulties Métis persons experience.
With a collection of 14 original songs, Culleton effectively turned pen; to paper, back to pen; to paper; to ear drums. The 36 minute-spanning record features a mixture of traditional and contemporary roots song while succinctly retelling the symbolic tale of acceptance and equality relayed through a peculiar friendship which blossoms unexpectedly between a black cat and a white rat. Though rats and cats are thought to be enemies, the dynamic duo stick together throughout Unusual Friendships to fight and earn the respect of others.
Touched by the story, Culleton decided to take his own shot at Unusual Friendships — but from a sonic approach. Though he breathed new life into the classic Canadian tale by recording an entire concept album based around it alone, just that didn’t seem to be enough for the contemporary multimedia artist.
As his first-ever children’s album, Culleton made it his mission to ensure his listeners — whether kids or adults — could be fully-immersed into the musical adaptation. How did he do it, some might ask? Well, he partnered up with an augmented reality (AR) company by the name of Artivive to help turn the exciting listening experience into a wondrous animated experience.
For the full multimedia experience, all listeners have to do is download the Artitive app on their smartphones or tablets and scan Culleton’s latest album cover and bring it to life with the vivid and spectacular, music-backed animations illustrated by James and his 13-year-old daughter Mae Culleton.
The album features Al Simmons on banjo and harmonica, as well as feature vocal spots from Franco-Manitoban musician Andrina Turenne. On top of that, there’s an adorable chorus of “cats” contributed by some of the children in the St. Boniface neighbourhood in Winnipeg. Unusual Friendships was recorded at Scott Nolan’s Song Shop with Jamie Sitar in Manitoba.
Though Culleton has released several other family-friendly records — including Spooky Songs, At Christmas Time and Vanished Days — Unusual Friendships serves as his first-ever kid’s album. It’s also his ninth overall release as a songwriter.
Unusual Friendships and the lead single, “Little White Paws” — which was recorded in both English and French — are now available through all major streaming platforms worldwide.
Country Music Legend Charley Pride Dies At Age 86
DALLAS, Texas. — Charley Pride, whose rich baritone voice and impeccable song-sense altered American culture, died Saturday, December 12, 2020, in Dallas, Texas of complications from Covid-19 at age 86.
Born a sharecropper’s son in Sledge, Mississippi, on March 18, 1934, Pride emerged from Southern cotton fields to become country music’s first Black superstar and the first Black member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“No person of color had ever done what he has done,” said Darius Rucker in the PBS American Masters film Charley Pride: I’m Just Me.
Pride was a gifted athlete who at first thought baseball would be his path from poverty, labor, and strife. But his musical acumen was more impressive than his pitching arm or his hitting skills, and he emerged as one of the most significant artists at RCA Records, with chart-topping hits including “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’,” “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” and “Mountain of Love.” He won the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year award in 1971, its top male vocalist prize in 1971 and 1972, and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.
His final performance came on November 11, 2020, when he sang “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” during the CMA Awards show at Nashville’s Music City Center with Jimmie Allen, a modern-day hitmaker who counts Pride among his heroes.
Charley Frank Pride was not the first Black artist to make important contributions to country music — DeFord Bailey was a star of the Grand Ole Opry from 1927 through 1941 — but Pride was a trailblazer who emerged during a time of division and rancor.
After a stint in the Army, time working at a Missouri smelting plant, and some unsuccessful attempts to break into big-league baseball, he came to Nashville in 1963 and made demonstration recordings with help from manager Jack Johnson.
Those recordings languished for two years until Johnson met with producer Jack Clement, who offered songs for Pride to learn. On August 16, 1965, Clement produced Pride at RCA Studio B, and the results of that session impressed RCA’s Chet Atkins, who signed Pride to a recording contract.
In 1967, Pride’s recording of Clement’s “Just Between You and Me” broke into country’s Top Ten, and Pride quit his job as a smelter. Iron ore was behind him, and platinum records lay ahead.
Between 1967 and 1987, Pride delivered 52 Top 10 country hits, won Grammy awards, and became RCA Records’ top-selling country artist. His musicality opened minds and superseded prejudice.
“We’re not color blind yet, but we’ve advanced a few paces along the path and I like to think I’ve contributed something to that process,” Pride wrote in his memoir.
Today, Black artists including Allen, Rucker, Mickey Guyton, Rissi Palmer, Rhiannon Giddens, Yola, and others add new chapters to country music’s story. Charley Pride’s impact is evident and important to all of them, and also to every other country performer who builds bridges with melody and sincerity.
Charley Pride escaped the cotton fields, where labor hurt his hands, back, and knees. He transcended and ascended through connection. Through fortitude and artistry, he became a member of the Grand Ole Opry and a beloved American icon.
Charley Pride was the son of Tessie Stewart Pride and Mack Pride, Sr. He was the husband of Ebby Rozene Cohran Pride. His children are Carlton Kraig Pride, Charles Dion Pride, and Angela Rozene Pride. His grandchildren are Carlton Kraig Pride, Jr., Malachi Pride, Syler Pride, Ebby Pride, and Arrentino Vassar. His two great-grandchildren are Skyler Pride and Carlton Kraig Pride, III. he is preceded in death by brothers Jonas McIntyre, Mack Pride, Jr., Louis Pride, Edward Pride, and Joe L. Pride, and by sister Bessie Chambers. He leaves behind siblings Harmon Pride, Stephen Pride, Catherine Sanders, and Maxine Pride, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to The Pride Scholarship at Jesuit College Preparatory School, St. Philips School and Community Center, The Food Bank, or the charity of your choice.
1-minute tip for artists: Instagram Shopping.
This is your opportunity to highlight offers and product discounts in your Instagram stories, which would disappear after 24 hours.